Denmark shuts down airport over suspicious drone sightings for 2nd time this week
Denmark closed the airspace over Aalborg Airport the evening of Sept. 24 after several reports of unidentified drones in the area, regional police said.
The incident comes only two days after Denmark reported a mysterious drone incursion on Sept. 22.
Several drones were spotted near Aalborg Airport in northern Denmark at around 9:44 p.m. local time, the North Jutland Police reported.
Authorities suspended operations at the airport in response to the potential threat, diverting two planes coming from Copenhagen and another from the Danish city Karup. It was not clear how many drones were present in the area.
The origin of the drones is also unknown.
"We cannot yet comment on the purpose of the drones flying in the area, nor can we say anything about who the actor behind it is," Chief Police Inspector Jesper Bojgaard Madsen said.
"However, I can say that we are looking into an intense investigation and intelligence work with a view to clarifying the motive and finding out who is behind the flight."
Bogjaard also said that authorities were ready to take action to intercept the drones if necessary.
"If we get the opportunity, we will take down the drones," he said.
This is the second time this week drones have disruped Danish air travel. Cophenhagen Airport shut down temporarily on Sept. 22 after drones were spotted in the area.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the incident must be viewed in the context of recent cyberattacks against European airports and Russian aerial incursions inside NATO territory.
"I cannot rule out that it is Russia," Frederiksen said. "We have seen drones over Poland that should not have been there. We have seen activity in Romania. We have seen violations of Estonian airspace."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed suggestions of Russian involvement as "unfounded."
Recent Russian airspace violations have challenged NATO protocols on interceptions, escalation, and collective defense.
Both Poland and Estonia invoked NATO's Article 4 — a formal request for consultations with allies about a security threat — following violations of their airspace. The alliance launched the operation Eastern Sentry in response to the incursion in Poland.
Speaking alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky at the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 23, U.S. President Donald Trump said he believed NATO countries should shoot down Russian drones that invade their territory.
Officials in Poland and Estonia welcomed the recommendation. On Sept. 10, Poland became the first NATO member to directly engage Russian military assets during the full-scale war in Ukraine when it downed multiple drones over its territory.
